Kiana Bonollo ’21 Receives the 2026 Distinguished Young Alumni Award

Drawn to fashion from an early age and shaped by hands-on learning at NC State, Kiana Bonollo ’21 has built a career doing exactly what she trained for.

Today, Bonollo works full-time as a fashion design content creator and sewing educator, teaching others how to design, draft patterns and sew garments while running her own business.

In recognition of her professional achievements, community involvement and alignment with the Wilson College of Textiles’ core values, Bonollo was named the recipient of a 2026 Distinguished Young Alumni Award.

Established by the college’s Dean’s Young Alumni Leadership Council (DYALC), the Distinguished Young Alumni Awards program recognizes graduates under the age of 40 who have made significant contributions to the textile industry and their communities. The DYALC works to promote the Wilson College of Textiles and the college’s fundraising arm, the North Carolina Textile Foundation, and foster engagement among young alumni.

Bonollo’s journey to this recognition began years earlier, when she first discovered the Wilson College of Textiles.

From possibility to purpose: Discovering fashion at the Wilson College

Bonollo first became interested in the Wilson College of Textiles while still in high school. Torn between pursuing chemical engineering and fashion design, she was drawn to NC State because it offered the opportunity to explore both interests within a single university.

She participated in the college’s Summer Textile Exploration Program (STEP), where hands-on projects helped confirm how she wanted her future to look.

“After STEP, I knew that fashion design was the way to go for me, and I had so much fun for the week at NC State doing the hands-on activities,” Bonollo says. “And yeah, I always, always wanted to go to NC State.

She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in fashion and textile design with a concentration in fashion design in 2021. Throughout her time at the Wilson College, Bonollo found that her coursework closely reflected the career she hoped to pursue after graduation.

“I use my degree basically every day,” she says. “Every single class, everything I learned throughout college, I use now.”

From draping and patternmaking to critiques and presentations, Bonollo credits the program’s studio-based structure with preparing her for the realities of working in the fashion industry, including receiving and responding to feedback.

As a student, Bonollo participated in the African American Textile Society Fashion Exposé, earning first place in both the novice and advanced categories. Her collections were also presented at Greensboro Fashion Week and Donghua Fashion Week in Shanghai, China.

“Those critiques really helped me,” she says. “Now, I get strong opinions from millions of people online every day, so learning how to take criticism was important.”

Building a future in content creation

During the summer between her junior and senior years, plans shifted abruptly. Study abroad opportunities were canceled, internships disappeared and the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped daily life. 

Rather than waiting for things to return to normal, Bonollo decided to start something of her own.

She began sharing sewing and design videos online, posting consistently and focusing on the kind of fashion-forward educational content she wished had existed when she was learning to sew. Within a year, she reached nearly 100,000 subscribers. 

Today, Bonollo shares her work on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, where she teaches sewing techniques, patternmaking and garment construction. Her YouTube channel alone has grown to more than 1 million subscribers, with over 800 videos uploaded.

Alongside her content, Bonollo launched a digital sewing pattern business through Etsy, where she sells downloadable patterns that allow makers to recreate her designs at home. The shop has generated more than 86,000 sales.

As her platform expanded, Bonollo transitioned fully into self-employment, hiring assistants, often fellow Wilson College of Textiles students, and continuing to grow both her content and pattern offerings.

“I never really stopped learning after college,” she says. “It just felt like a continuation of what I was already doing.”

Designing her own red-carpet moment

One of Bonollo’s most memorable professional moments came this year when she was invited by Netflix to attend the Bridgerton season premiere in London.

Bonollo was one of just three creators selected for the invitation, which included travel to London and access to premiere events. She also walked the red carpet in a look she designed and created herself, incorporating one of her original sewing patterns into the final garment.

“That was the craziest thing I’ve probably ever experienced in my life,” Bonollo shares. “It felt amazing to be recognized by such a huge company.”

The experience became a defining moment for both her career and her business. The pattern used for the look later became one of her most successful releases.

For Bonollo, receiving the 2026 Distinguished Young Alumni Award is less about recognition and more about reflection.

“I owe the Wilson College of Textiles so much,” she says. “Everything I’m doing now started there.”

As she continues to teach, design and share her work with millions of makers worldwide, Bonollo remains deeply connected to the college that helped shape her path, proof that what begins in the studio can travel far beyond it.